Council Rejects Major’s Proposal, But Will It Matter?

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing is seen with members of City Council. (WWJ Photo/Pat Sweeting, File)

DETROIT (WWJ) – Detroit City Council votes against a proposal by the mayor involving city employees.

WWJ’s Florence Walton reports that City Council has voted to reject Mayor Dave Bing’s work rule changes for city employees.

AFSCME’s chief negotiator Ed McNeill was pleased with the 5-4 vote.

“For anyone to say that the employees are the problem, you bring on a CFO at $220,000 a year, you bring a program manager on at $220,000 a year, then you bring a member advisory board at $25,000 plus their salary and then you say we are going to run out of cash? Gimma’ a break,” said McNeill.

Council President Charles Pugh voted with the majority: “I supported the Consent Agreement as an alternative to emergency management, I felt that emergency management would have been the worst thing ever. But, I also don’t support union busting,” said Pugh.

However, under the Consent Agreement, the mayor can impose the work rules changes, without the council’s approval.